In
recent months publicity surrounding the Michael Jackson trial has brought a
spotlight on Jehovah’s Witnesses and their beliefs. Normally a closed society
that allows little information to the public has been forced to face some hard
realities with regard to their theology. [read
VH1 article here]

In
the year 2001 the child abuse scandal was exposed as being a worldwide problem
in the JW community. Hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles offered victims
accounts of abuse in the religion around the world. Television media in the
form of all major networks including Dateline, BBC, CBC, along numerous other
reputable programs offered horrific accounts told by victims of abuse cover
up that aired in over fifty countries around the world. The reaction of the
administrative arm of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Governing Body) was publicly documented
in the New York Times [read story here]
as they started disfellowshipping members that were whistle blowers for speaking
about abuse being a problem in the religion. In the same month the NYT article
went to print the religion offered an internal article to all members in a monthly
newsletter called “Our Kingdom Ministry.” In a four page insert that was studied
in two consecutive meetings, the question of how to treat a disfellowshipped
relative was addressed in an article entitled, “Display Christian Loyalty When
a Relative is Disfellowshipped.” [read article
here] This article apparently was a reaction to the media coverage
on child abuse in the organization and was used as a tool to try and silence
any family member that might come forward about past abuse. The organization
went on to disfellowship several more members for not being silent about the
abuse problem. The article presented family members that wished to not be disfellowshipped
only one choice that was to disown their family members that were disfellowshipped
by following the guidelines of the 2002 KM. In the article an example was mentioned
regarding a son and daughter calling their mother and explaining they would
no longer speak to her until she was reinstated. (no longer disfellowshipped)
The article also cited that a family would have to consider if a child would
be allowed to eat at the dinner table if it was disfellowshipped. This harsh
edict of theology was taken to the most extreme application of this belief in
the history of the religion. In effect it threatened all members into silence
and loss of family if they were deemed to be disfellowshipped by elders of the
congregation.

This
interesting reaction by JW management in their abuse scandal was a great contrast
to the actions of the Catholic Church, a religion that for years had been crucified
in JW literature for having a child abuse scandal. The Catholic abuse scandal
was used as a way by Jehovah’s Witnesses, to condemn Catholic religious belief
as being part of “ Babylon the Great” the world empire of false religion directed
by Satan the Devil. [see articles
here]

In
time the Catholic Church has acknowledged there was a problem, set forth policy
changes, and the Pope publicly apologized. While this certainly does not mean
the Catholic issue is completely resolved at least it was some positive steps
in the right direction. Not once has the JW community made mention of Catholic
progress in their literature after giving them such a hard time over the years
in print. JW management to date has refused to acknowledge their problem and
for the most part disfellowshipped anyone that tried to go public with the abuse
scandal. Many abuse survivors were simply notified with a letter or phone call
they were kicked out after talking about child abuse as a problem. Judgment
was swift and harsh to abuse survivors who became outcasts to their families
and friends in the context of the 2002 KM on how to treat disfellowshipped relatives.
The Jehovah’s Witness Public Relations Department offered numerous press releases
to the media in reaction to victims going forth to media to tell their s tori
es. In each case the religion claimed innocence and at one point a lead attorney
acting as a media spokesman actually claimed JW abuse policy was “far superior”
to any other religion. This was after they acknowledged a private database with
thousands of child molesters that had not been reported to police.

Now
the Michael Jackson Scandal goes out to the media in January of 2003. At the
time Firpo Carr a member of the elite 144,000 heavenly class of Jehovah’s Witnesses
served as Jackson ’s spokesman. This special group only numbers around 4,000-5,000
of the JW membership and by their belief represent a long linage of those with
special favor before God, the last of mankind that go to heaven to rule as kings
over the earth after Armageddon. Carr served as Jackson ’s spokesman for three
months along with Jackson ’s family going public again and again in his defense.
An article was written about the apparent inconsistency in how the Jackson ’s
were being given special privilege outside of the JW teachings on disfellowshipping.
[read article here]

News
articles have continued to state Michael Jackson is a Jehovah’s Witness. In
the spring of 2003 when the media alluded to the allegation that Jackson had
converted to Islam the rebuttal was swift and public. Jackson flatly denied
any association to the religious belief. Yet in recent articles time and again
references are made that Jackson is a JW. It is a strange silence not only from
the Jackson camp but also from the previously very vocal Public Relations Department
of Jehovah’s Witnesses on their child abuse scandal. In 1987 the religion publicly
stated Jackson had been removed from membership of the religion. In light of
the publicity and scandal it would appear they would want to clarify this to
media unless Jackson actually has been welcomed back as a member in good standing.

For
current members of Jehovah’s Witnesses that is familiar with the doctrine it
offers a theological dilemma as Jackson ’s way of life appears to go in complete
conflict with how members are directed to make decisions on how to live. It
comes to a simple point of conflict,

If Jackson is a JW it offers a public
statement of how the religion openly supports members accused of child abuse
and forces its members to face this uncomfortable issue.

If Jackson is disfellowshipped then
his family and friends that are JW’s are openly flaunting rules all regular
Jehovah’s Witness members are forced to live by otherwise.

A
recent article that mentions Jesse Jackson praying with Michael Jackson is yet
another inconsistency.[read
article here] In Jehovah’s Witness belief if a member were
to pray with a minister of another religion it would provide an automatic basis
to be kicked out of the religion. If any of Jackson ’s Jehovah’s Witness family
joined in they would be ousted as well. If Jackson is a JW how will the organization
respond to this compromise of their belief? If Jackson is not a JW then how
can his Jehovah’s Witness family members and friends openly continue to support
him by going to court and speaking out in his behalf?

To
the public this may seem to be of little consequence but to active members of
Jehovah’s Witnesses it represents a total apostasy from their theology. The
longer JW management remains silent the greater the problem becomes. Has the
Jackson family turned the Governing Body (JW leadership) into silent lambs or
will they be forced to clarify this total disregard of the belief they require
all members to follow?

The
fact remains victims of abuse have been silenced by the religion while the religion
remains silent about the vocal praise and support by Jehovah’s Witnesses for
an alleged child molester.